R C Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) Chairman R C Bhargava on Thursday hailed the Narendra Modi-led government’s economic and industrial policies, asserting that the company’s annual vehicle exports had increased from about one lakh units in 2013-14 to around 4.5 lakh units in 2025-26.

In a post on X, Bhargava said that these 12 years have been “transformational for industry”, and equally remarkable has been the Prime Minister’s ability to build trust and confidence among foreign countries with India.

“The result has been more opportunities for Indian industry to access foreign markets and increase bilateral trade. The close link between industrial growth, competitiveness and the growth of employment and wealth in the country was first recognised, and measures taken to remove past obstacles, after Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014,” he said.

The Maruti Chairman said the Prime Minister placed great importance on rural development and the welfare of the weaker sections. Digital technology enabled the direct transfer of benefits to the intended recipients, with no middlemen, he said.

“Schemes helped the poor to construct houses, gain access to clean water, and send girls to schools. Farmers received substantial support. The result was growing rural prosperity. The share of MSIL cars sold in rural areas increased from 32 per cent to 52 per cent, a truly remarkable transformation resulting from government policies,” Bhargava said.

Various steps to make it easier to do business, remove legal impediments in the way of growth, reform the tax structure and bring about rapid growth in the use of digital technology were actions that led to elimination of wasteful costs, saved time, and increased competitiveness of Indian goods, Bhargava said.

“The infrastructure programme was sharply intensified, helping to reduce logistic costs. India is increasingly becoming a preferred destination for supply chains moving out of China,” he noted.

Bhargava added that India is now the third largest car manufacturing country in the world and significant employment is created when cars are sold and used.

Published on June 11, 2026